Welcome to USDA Rural Development. USDA's Rural Development is committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America. Through our programs, we touch rural America in many ways. Our financial programs support such essential public facilities and services as water and sewer systems, housing, health clinics, emergency service facilities and electric and telephone service. We promote economic development by supporting loans to businesses through banks and community-managed lending pools. We offer technical assistance and information to help agricultural and other cooperatives get started and improve the effectiveness of their member services. And we provide technical assistance to help communities undertake community empowerment programs.

Like all of government, USDA Rural Development is reinventing itself. In the last two years, we have consolidated our organization and reduced administrative costs by centralizing servicing for some of our most important programs. We have put the focus of our programs where it belongs: on empowering communities to take charge of their own development. And -- through innovations such as the World Wide Web -- we are bringing more of our services to your doorstep in an effort to improve convenience to you while cutting costs. Please take a look at our site and see the services we offer.